Michael Karp

After double-majoring in history and religious studies at Cal Poly Humboldt, I earned my MA and PhD in history at Saint Louis University. My research draws upon many sub-fields, but  the social and environmental history of the American West are my main areas of focus. My current book project, Raising the Redwood Curtain: Labor Landscapes and Community Violence in a Pacific Littoral, examines how the spread of global capitalism violently reordered labor patterns and social relations in northwestern California. My newest research project seeks to explore how access to water has structured race and class inequalities in California's Colorado Desert. 

Since earning my PhD, I have had the unique privilege to teach in a variety of settings including an independent middle school, public high schools, dual enrollment programs, and community colleges and universities. My diverse teaching experience has also led to my involvement and interest in the Scholarship on Teaching and Learning. As an educator and resident of the Coachella Valley, I am honored to be a part of CSUSB’s Palm Desert Campus. I am excited and thankful each day for the opportunity to work with our students and the larger community.